Army Sgt. Galvao Ardicio of U.S. Army South Atlantic District Veterinary Command, Guantanamo Bay Section, trims the nails of Dixie, a Catahoula belonging to Maj. George Trancoso from the 410th Contracting Brigade of U.S. Army South, Sept. 6, 2010. The veterinary clinic mission is to prevent zoonotic diseases for service members and civilians at Joint Task Force Guantanamo.

Service members from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay and Joint Task Force Guantanamo participate in a cardio kickboxing class, Oct. 25, 2010.

A detainee receives new linens in the communal area of Camp Six at Joint Task Force Guantanamo, Oct. 28, 2010.

A detainee is being taught typing skills during a life skills class in Camp Six at Joint Task Force Guantanamo. The purpose of the class is to provide educational tool technology to enhance literacy in reading and writing in subjects of health and finance.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jae Yun prepares a detainee for foot x-rays at the detainee hospital. Yun is assigned to the Joint Medical Group which provides transparent medical care to detainees.

Marines from Marine Corps Security Force Company Guantanamo lead the 42nd Guantanamo Cuban-American Friendship 5k fun run on Jan. 28. The run began at the Marine Hill, and units ran information for the entire distance.

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Army Capt. John Barbee (13) runs the ball during an Army-Navy flag football game at Cooper Field, Dec. 11, 2010. The game was played to showcase spirit and support for the football game played between the two service academies. The Navy team beat Army 18-15.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jeff Wells putts a golf ball to win the Putt Putt Golf Tournament at Naval Station Guantanamo (GTMO) Bay, Nov. 26, 2010. Wells is assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company at Joint Task Force GTMO. The event was organized by the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Liberty program.

Equipment Operator 1st Class Leonard Kelly (left) uses an auger to dig a hole for the placement of a bollard while Engineer Aide 3rd Class Roger Alexander guides him at Cable Beach, Jan. 13. Both sailors are assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 28, Shreveport, La which is deployed to Guantanamo Bay in support of general improvement, engineering, construction and project management.

Military combat photographer Elisha Leo Dawkins, who has toured Iraq and documented daily life at Guantanamo Bay, is part of a complicated set of legal proceedings culminating last week in felony fraud charges, detention and a scramble by his friends to post $100,000 bail.

Elisha Leo Dawkins on tour in Iraq. Photo: U.S. Army

Petty Officer 2nd Class Dawkins, 26, was initially charged with submitting false information on a 2006 passport application. On that application, Dawkins allegedly indicated that he had not previously applied for a passport, when in fact he had abandoned a similar application in 2003. Lying on federal paperwork is classified as a felony and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

During associated investigations, it was discovered that Dawkins’ is also an undocumented immigrant with an outstanding deportation order dating back to 1993 when he was just 8 years old. An order and legal status of which he claims to be unaware.

Originally from the Bahamas but estranged from his parents, Dawkins grew up living with relatives in Florida. Presumably believing he was born in the United States, Dawkins obtained a retroactive Florida Birth Certificate on March 30, 2006 stating he was born on Oct. 21, 1984 in Miami-Dade County.

The birth certificate allowed Dawkins to acquire a passport to travel in 2007 to Iraq and serve as a combat cameraman for which he was awarded six medals and ribbons of distinction, including the National Defense Service medal, the Armed Forces Reserves medal and the Overseas Service ribbon.

Dawkins was honorably discharged and returned to Florida to complete a nursing degree. He later joined the Naval Reserves and was stationed, in 2010, at Guantanamo Bay for eight months as part of the public relations unit. There he shot the photos displayed in the gallery above and others available at the Joint Task Force official website. The U.S. Army website also has 64 photographs taken in Iraq by Dawkins archived on its website.

Dawkins is currently being detained at the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami until he can post the $100,000 bail. The photographer’s friends have started a Facebook page to solicit donations for a bail bond and raise awareness of the story.

If Dawkins successfully defends the fraud charges he may still have to face deportation proceedings on his own.